Connecting device for electric batteries



(N0 Model.) W. F. SMITH GONNEOTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC BATTERIES. No. 412,347. Patented Oct. 8, 1 889.

&1

ya/ww 114m wf UNITED STATES QPATENT Fries.

IVALTER E. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED ELECTRIC IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, OF GLOUCESTER CITY,

NEIV JERSEY.-

CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC BATTERIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,347, dated October 8, 1889.

Application filed I 1115 9, 1889. Serial No. 316,959. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: tion of mercury or other material and the Be it known that I, W'ALTER E. SMITH, a gasket or gaskets interposed between the upcitizen of the United States, residing at the per cap and the lower cup, and the ribbons or city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philastrips connected or formed integral with the delphia and State of Pennsylvania, have individed male thimble; and Fig. 2 is a similar 5 5 vented a certain new and useful Improveview of another form of device, showing the ment in Connecting Devices for Electric Batupper cap removed and a plug with a flexible teries, of which improvement the following is conductor fitted into the male thimble and a specification. arranged to connect the plates or elements of My invention relates to a certain improveone battery Witha switch-board or othertrans- 6o ment in connecting devices for electric batmitting device. teries composed of a divided male thimble In Fig. 1, A is a vertically-divided male provided with strips or ribbons and a female thimble with lateral strips or ribbons a and thimble, the female thimble being secured a which are shown broken awayin this view. to the male thimble, so as to leave a space be- To this male thimble A is fitted or secured a tween the two thimbles for the introduction cap I) and a female thimble or cup I), made of mercury or other suitable material to afof metal or other suitable material. The inford a continuous path for the passage of the terior surfaces of the cap Z2 and the female electric current through the device to the batthimble b are threaded to correspond with 20 tery or batteries, or having a plug with a fiexithe exterior surface of the male thimble A. ble conductor mounted in the male thimble Between the lateral strips or ribbons a and thereof, and connected with asuitable switcha of the male thimble A and the cap I), or board or transmitting device, and both types female thimble or cup I), or both, are interforming the subject-matter of an application posed gaskets c and 0, made of rubber or 2 5 for a patent filed by me under date of April other preferred material,i11 order that atight 19, 1889, and serially numbered 307,780. joint may be made between said cap or cup, The principal object of my present invenor both, and the lateral ribbons or strips a tion is to deposit on the surface of the device and a, to prevent gases evolved during the a coating of conducting materialsuch as operation of the battery from corroding the go nickel-by electrolysis or otherwise to predevice. In the space 6, formed or left bevent the mercury or other preferred material tween the lower extremity of the male thimcontained therein from destroying the device ble A and the bottom of the cup I), is introby amalgamation, whereby the electrical con- (I need mercury or other material to increase ductivity of the device is materially enhanced. the electrical conductivity of the device, as

A further object of my invention is to prowell as to afford a perfectly free passage for vide the connecting device between the fethe current through the device to the batmale thimble and the strips or ribbons of the teries. male thimble thereof with a gasket or gaskets In Fig. 2 is shown another form of the decomposed of rubber or other material to previce, consisting of a divided male thimble o vent gases evolved dining the operation of having lateral strips or ribbons a and a for the battery from corroding the same. connecting a system of plates or elements of The nature and characteristic features of one battery, with a system of plates or elemy invention will be more fully understood ments of another battery or batteries. This by reference to the accompanying drawings, divided male thimbleA has its lower exterior 45 forming part hereof, and in whichsurface threaded, and to which is applied afe- 9 5 Figure 1. is a vertical central section of the male thimble or cup I). A chamber is formed connecting device, on an enlarged scale, arbetween the base of the cup I) and the end of ranged to connect the plates or elements of the male thimble A, to receive mercury or one battery with those of another battery, and other suitable material. 50 showing also the internal space for the recep- Into the male thimble A is introduced a metallic plug D, with a suitably-insulated handle d and 'a flexible conductor cl, connectedwith the metallic plug D, to permit of the passage of the current or currents from the battery or batteries to the switch-board or transmitting device B.

The lateral strips or ribbons a and a, of the divided male thimble A may be clamped to the lugs or terminals of the plates or elements of the batteries; but I prefer to burn the lateral strips or ribbons a and c onto the respective lugs or terminals, because very good results are thereby obtained, and, moreover, in practice it-is the more economical of the two methods.

.On the surface of the parts of the connecting device a coating of nickel or other preferred conducting material is deposited by electrolysis or otherwise to prevent the mercury or other material contained in the space 6 between the male thim ble A andthe female thimble or cup I) from deteriorating or destroying the several parts of the device by amalgamation, whereby the electrical conductivity of the device is not only materially.

enhanced, but'the free passage of the current or currents through the device is aitorded to the plates or elements of the batteries.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as-new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described device for'connecting'electric batteries, consisting of a divided male thimble provided with a cap, a cup, and lateral ribbons or strips and the parts coated with a conducting material, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The herein-described device for connecting electric batteries, consisting of a divided male thimble with lateral ribbons or strips, a female thimble fitted thereto and adapted to contain mercury or other material, and said parts coated by electrolysis with nickel or other material, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The herein-described device for connecting electric batteries, consisting of a divided male thimble with strips or ribbons, a female thimble secured thereto, a gasket interposed between the strips or ribbons and the female thimble, and the parts of the device coated with a conducting material, and a plug with a flexible conductor mounted in said male thimble, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER F. SMITH. Witnesses:

ANDREW ZANE, J. WALTER DOUGLASS. 

